What I learned about urban forestry

[Shawn Pixley]

I acquired a few slabs about a year and a half ago from an urban forester. He cuts down and slabs trees from homeowners in Los Angeles. The first slab of California Pepper that I flattened went fairly smoothly. I few splits to butterfly and a nice spalt. This weekend I went to to work on a Chinese Elm slab. This one had a bit of damage on the wane edge as if it had split in a storm before the forester got there. The slab was cupped about 3/16" on the show side.

I went to work on the show side with a jack plane. I got it mostly flat in about a hour and half of sweat in the heat. I the went to work on the back. I had to take out another 3/16" in the center. As I would ake the slab down splits / voids would show up below the plane. The wood didn't seem to be reacting on me. It seemed that I uncovered voids / splits that had been in the slab for some time. I stopped to fill the voids with epoxy. So the weekend went, planing, filling, drying, and repeat... It ended up fine. I need to remember to look more carefully at urban wood. It looks like the trunk had a limb split or twist in its life. That's probably what got the tree felled. Let the buyer beware. The slab turned out well though.

[george wilson]

I'd also be careful of nails and other metal that can be found in trees that grew near houses. Even old horse shoes have been found in urban trees if they are old enough.

[Chris Hachet]

I'd also be careful of nails and other metal that can be found in trees that grew near houses. Even old horse shoes have been found in urban trees if they are old enough.A lumber mill here in Midwest was cutting up some nice old growth stuff they got permission to cut down at a military base. they were finding undetonated ordinance inside of trees. Now THAT would be an unpleasant surprise. Thankfully, the use of a band saw and metal detector got them through without incident.

[Jim Matthews]

A lumber mill here in Midwest was cutting up some nice old growth stuff they got permission to cut down at a military base. they were finding undetonated ordinance inside of trees.

One of the *CIS procedural dramas will work this into their plotline,
I guarantee. After "Middleman" I wonder why anyone bothered.

"Exploding Larch branches, Dubby!"

[Bill Houghton]

Be careful with the pepper trees. Some of the trees called "pepper trees" here in Northern California are highly allergenic.

[george wilson]

There was a man in England years ago I heard about. They were milling lumber from trees taken down at a former artillery range. He sawed into a shell which exploded,"ruining him".

[Jim Matthews]

He sawed into a shell which exploded,"ruining him".

No mention of his trousers?

[Shawn Pixley]

Be careful with the pepper trees. Some of the trees called "pepper trees" here in Northern California are highly allergenic.

Thanks! There are two trees in California that people refer to as pepper trees.

The first is "Umbellularia Califonica" It is also referenced as Oregon Myrtle, Bay Laurel or pepperwood. As with many laurels some may have a high sensitivity. Typically, it is not as far south as I am.

The second is "Schinus Molle" or peruvian pepper. It is not native to California. It is fairly common down here as an ornamental. It is more drought tolerant so it fairs well here. I am pretty sure that is what my slab is.

i get the impression that the pepper died and fell before the forester harvested it. There is a nice spalt and some punky areas that I needed to address. The picture below is a detail shot of the "Pepper."

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